In the manufacutre of a wood head for a golf club in accordance with the teaching of the invention, a tooling hole index is used to derive all the X, Y and Z coordinates of the particular head. A numerical tape is then made up recording the coordinates, and the tape is used to drive an appropriate machine to form a master head of brass, or other suitable metal, which precisely represents the shape and size of the head. The master is placed in a copy lathe and raw wood heads corresponding in shape and size to the master are formed in the lathe. The heads of quality golf clubs are usually formed of persimmon.
In the practice of the present invention, all coordinates representing the shape of the head are referenced to the tooling hole precisely positioned in the head. These coordinates are used in the formation of the master. A plurality of raw wood heads are produced in a copy lathe from the master. A precisely located tooling hole of a predetermined depth is then drilled in each of the heads by means of a tooling hole drill jig, as will be described.
The wood heads produced by the copy lathe are completed by a series of finishing operations. Specifically, the face and bottom surface of the head are routed. A plastic insert is then mounted in the face, and a metal sole plate is mounted on the bottom surface of the club. A hozzel hole is drilled in the neck of the head to receive the shaft of the club. The face of the club is then rolled and bulged to a desired configuration with exacting tolerances, and the face and insert are then scored. The neck is then tapered; and the head is sanded, stained, sealed and lacquered in accordance with known techniques.
A second jig is provided to hold each of the raw heads for its series of secondary and/or finishing operations. The second jig is provided with a dowel pin which enters the tooling hole of the head, and with a clamp for holding the head in place. The dowel and clamp serve to position the head in the second jig to a desired orientation within exacting tolerances. The second jig is then moved from station to station, so that each of the finishing operations described above may be performed on the head, and so that these operations may conform exactly to the desired shape of the finished head.
The tooling hole may have a standard depth of, for example, 1.25 inches for all heads, and the dowel pin may have different lengths, so that different sized heads may be supported in the jig.